


The Demon's Accidentally Published Proposal

by Screaming_at_an_Empty_Room



Category: Original Work
Genre: Demons, Fantasy, Friendship, Romance, Werewolves, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 10:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19766485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Screaming_at_an_Empty_Room/pseuds/Screaming_at_an_Empty_Room
Summary: Kara is a witch with a lot on her hands: busy job at the supernatural council, crazy friends, demonic contracts… almost enough to distract her from the past she’s actively avoiding. That is, until a drunken mistake comes back to haunt her… in the form of a fully published teen romance. The lead of said romance of course being Varaac, the demon who once meant everything to her. Now with the long buried past being stirred up again, Kara must navigate a danger filled present.





	1. Chapter 1

**You told me from the start that you couldn't love.**

**But still my heart yearned for some response.**

**My hand reached out in the dark, hoping to touch you.**

**But only emptiness was there to meet it.**

I danced around the fiery pentagram, chanting in Latin while dripping blood from a small cut on my finger into the center of the drawing made of grave dirt and bone, all the while keeping an eye out on the clock on the mantel.

I only had 15 minutes before my casserole was done.

Finishing the chant with the ease of years of practice, I leaned back to avoid the plume of Hellfire that spewed from the portal that opened up. Changing out of my ceremonial robes, I got back into my comfy pajamas and checked on my casserole while the new arrival was settling in.

She stood about eight feet tall, her head brushing the light fixture on the ceiling in my living room. Her four arms ended in long claws that dripped venom, making me glad that I thought to put a stain resistant rubber mat underneath the summoning circle. Her eyes burned with the flames of Hell, the fire that continuously lived within her, the source of her power. She grinned at me when I walked in with a bowl of my freshly made casserole, showing rows upon rows of pointed teeth.

"Hey Kara, is there any casserole left for me?"

I waved with my spoon before sitting down to dig into my meal.

"Hey Baph, help yourself, it's in the kitchen. I couldn't remember whether or not Satan still had you on the meat ban so left side is vegetarian."

"Nah he forgot all about that six months ago."

"Probably shouldn't scare the tourists by pretending to be him next time though."

Baphotera, the sixth highest lieutenant in Hell, sat down across from me, laughing as she began to eat the casserole as well.

"Yeah, but it was too funny showing up at a Satanist meeting and telling them to "Go out and do good deeds." She shook her head. "They were so confused!"

"Yeah, and Satan was pissed."

"Ugh, I had to be a vegetarian for a year, don't remind me." She chewed the pasta with obvious relish. "Either way, Kara, I'm sure you didn't summon me to help you eat your dinner, much as I appreciate the home-cooked meal. What's going on?"

I stared down at my bowl, a little unsure of how to begin. "So... your brother may be a little pissed at me come tomorrow."

"Valaac?" She cocked her head to the side, confused. "What did you do to piss him off?"

"Well... remember when we stopped talking last year?" She nodded to my question, obviously still confused. "I was really mad... and kind of drunk... and I maybe just sorta..." I paused and spoke out the rest in a quiet rush. "Wrote a book using him as the main character."

Baph laughed loudly, one of her hands slapping her knee. "Okay, that sounds pretty funny, but why..."

"I finished it in the same night, and submitted it to my best friend Alice who's in publishing. She thought it was hilarious that I drunk emailed her a book manuscript, and got the whole dang thing published and only told me today."

"That's... weird... but why would..."

"Look at it." I handed it over to her, shuddering at the picture of a handsome, passionate looking young man with computer drawn devil horns added on that graced the cover. Baph glanced at the picture on the front with a chuckle, and then read the back cover, her green face turning more and more blue and she did.

"This... is a crappy teen romance novel."

"Yep."

"You made him into an intense brooding romance lead paired with the most Mary Sue female lead ever."

My head ducked down. "Yep."

"You used his real name?!!!"

"Umm... only the first half. They can't forcibly summon him without the second half."

"But he'll still hear it when they try. There's going to be so many teenage girls trying to summon him once they read this... it will drive him insane!"

I scraped the bottom of my bowl with my spoon, but it was empty. "I realize that. It was the point of writing it... I think. I was really, REALLY drunk when I wrote this."

Baph finally broke. She laughed, so hard that she fell out of her chair and rolled around on the floor. I let her go on, having time to do the dishes and put away the leftovers before she finally calmed down.

"What I don't get is why you did this, Kara." She shook her head. "Whatever he did to piss you off... which was really stupid of him by the way... you could have destroyed him in response. You're the second strongest witch in the world right now, and that's only because Loretta is Satan's daughter that you aren't the strongest. You were kicking demon butt on the playground. You could fight Valaac blindfolded with both hands tied behind your back and you would still beat him without breaking a sweat."

I shrugged at her words, summoning my teapot to pour us some tea. "Your point?"

"Why didn't you just take him out if you were that angry?"

I thought it over, sipping quietly from my tea cup. "Well, at the time I thought that this would be worse than death."

"Being constantly summoned by star struck fourteen year olds?" She laughed again. "You may be right about that." Baph thumbed through the pages, chuckling to herself at different passages.

"'His heated gaze enveloped her'... he's going to hate this so much!"

"Yeah, so can you just block off the portal to my house for a good year or so?"

"Again you could just destroy him, and save yourself the trouble. What did he do to piss you off anyways?" 

"... Nothing that I want to talk about." I waved a hand, changing the subject. "Look, I just need you to block off the portal to my house for a while, so he can't drop in." 

"He wouldn't be able to do that anyways, only if you summoned him... unless..." She stared at my guilty expression. "You didn't perform a blood contract with him, did you?"

Ugh. I hated that she knew me so well. "It wasn't my brightest moment, alright? Now can you block off the portal or not?"

Baph sighed. "I can, but what do I get in return? Valaac is going to be pissed, and he's going to take it out on me if he can't get to you."

"I made you casserole." I reminded her.

"...Well then, I'm getting seconds." She got herself another bowl, and sat down again, eating thoughtfully. "Look, I'm not trying to be nosy..."

"Yes you are."

"Yes I am... but I think you should just talk this out with him. You two used to be really close when we were growing up. I know you haven't talked for a year but it can't be that bad right?"

I started cleaning up the remains from the summoning ritual. "You're just biased because he's your brother."

"Actually, demon siblings have a tendency to kill each other. Valaac is a rare sort. He only tried to eat me once when we were in the womb together. And even then he didn't try all that hard."

I couldn't help it, I laughed. "I sure he would appreciate the vote of confidence, but I burned all our bridges a year ago."

She finished her casserole and put the bowl to the side, her expression uncomfortable. "I know it's out of character for a demon to say this, but you should forgive him..."

Our gaze met, and she shrank back from the despair I knew was hidden there. "What makes you think he was the one who needed to be forgiven?"

We completed our transaction, signing the contract I had drawn up ahead of time in blood. Baph would block all the portals to my house for a year, and I owed her two more casserole dinners once it was over. I rolled up the paper, forcing a smile.

"Thanks."

"Anything for you, after you castrated that jerk Alax for attacking me in the tenth grade, I've owed you one."

"'Castrated' is a strong term. I merely forcibly showed him the errors of his ways."

"By kicking his balls up around his ears."

We laughed and hugged each other, and with a flash of sulfurous fumes she was gone. I sat down, sighing softly to myself, clutching the contract in my hands. It may not be enough to keep him from finding me, but it might make it difficult enough that he would give up. Closing my eyes, I rested my hands over them, tears seeping silently between my fingers.I danced around the fiery pentagram, chanting in Latin while dripping blood from a small cut on my finger into the center of the drawing made of grave dirt and bone, all the while keeping an eye out on the clock on the mantel.

I only had 15 minutes before my casserole was done.

Finishing the chant with the ease of years of practice, I leaned back to avoid the plume of Hellfire that spewed from the portal that opened up. Changing out of my ceremonial robes, I got back into my comfy pajamas and checked on my casserole while the new arrival was settling in.

She stood about eight feet tall, her head brushing the light fixture on the ceiling in my living room. Her four arms ended in long claws that dripped venom, making me glad that I thought to put a stain resistant rubber mat underneath the summoning circle. Her eyes burned with the flames of Hell, the fire that continuously lived within her, the source of her power. She grinned at me when I walked in with a bowl of my freshly made casserole, showing rows upon rows of pointed teeth.

"Hey Kara, is there any casserole left for me?"

I waved with my spoon before sitting down to dig into my meal.

"Hey Baph, help yourself, it's in the kitchen. I couldn't remember whether or not Satan still had you on the meat ban so left side is vegetarian."

"Nah he forgot all about that six months ago."

"Probably shouldn't scare the tourists by pretending to be him next time though."

Baphotera, the sixth highest lieutenant in Hell, sat down across from me, laughing as she began to eat the casserole as well.

"Yeah, but it was too funny showing up at a Satanist meeting and telling them to "Go out and do good deeds." She shook her head. "They were so confused!"

"Yeah, and Satan was pissed."

"Ugh, I had to be a vegetarian for a year, don't remind me." She chewed the pasta with obvious relish. "Either way, Kara, I'm sure you didn't summon me to help you eat your dinner, much as I appreciate the home-cooked meal. What's going on?"

I stared down at my bowl, a little unsure of how to begin. "So... your brother may be a little pissed at me come tomorrow."

"Valaac?" She cocked her head to the side, confused. "What did you do to piss him off?"

"Well... remember when we stopped talking last year?" She nodded to my question, obviously still confused. "I was really mad... and kind of drunk... and I maybe just sorta..." I paused and spoke out the rest in a quiet rush. "Wrote a book using him as the main character."

Baph laughed loudly, one of her hands slapping her knee. "Okay, that sounds pretty funny, but why..."

"I finished it in the same night, and submitted it to my best friend Alice who's in publishing. She thought it was hilarious that I drunk emailed her a book manuscript, and got the whole dang thing published and only told me today."

"That's... weird... but why would..."

"Look at it." I handed it over to her, shuddering at the picture of a handsome, passionate looking young man with computer drawn devil horns added on that graced the cover. Baph glanced at the picture on the front with a chuckle, and then read the back cover, her green face turning more and more blue and she did.

"This... is a crappy teen romance novel."

"Yep."

"You made him into an intense brooding romance lead paired with the most Mary Sue female lead ever."

My head ducked down. "Yep."

"You used his real name?!!!"

"Umm... only the first half. They can't forcibly summon him without the second half."

"But he'll still hear it when they try. There's going to be so many teenage girls trying to summon him once they read this... it will drive him insane!"

I scraped the bottom of my bowl with my spoon, but it was empty. "I realize that. It was the point of writing it... I think. I was really, REALLY drunk when I wrote this."

Baph finally broke. She laughed, so hard that she fell out of her chair and rolled around on the floor. I let her go on, having time to do the dishes and put away the leftovers before she finally calmed down.

"What I don't get is why you did this, Kara." She shook her head. "Whatever he did to piss you off... which was really stupid of him by the way... you could have destroyed him in response. You're the second strongest witch in the world right now, and that's only because Loretta is Satan's daughter that you aren't the strongest. You were kicking demon butt on the playground. You could fight Valaac blindfolded with both hands tied behind your back and you would still beat him without breaking a sweat."

I shrugged at her words, summoning my teapot to pour us some tea. "Your point?"

"Why didn't you just take him out if you were that angry?"

I thought it over, sipping quietly from my tea cup. "Well, at the time I thought that this would be worse than death."

"Being constantly summoned by star struck fourteen year olds?" She laughed again. "You may be right about that." Baph thumbed through the pages, chuckling to herself at different passages.

"'His heated gaze enveloped her'... he's going to hate this so much!"

"Yeah, so can you just block off the portal to my house for a good year or so?"

"Again you could just destroy him, and save yourself the trouble. What did he do to piss you off anyways?" 

"... Nothing that I want to talk about." I waved a hand, changing the subject. "Look, I just need you to block off the portal to my house for a while, so he can't drop in." 

"He wouldn't be able to do that anyways, only if you summoned him... unless..." She stared at my guilty expression. "You didn't perform a blood contract with him, did you?"

Ugh. I hated that she knew me so well. "It wasn't my brightest moment, alright? Now can you block off the portal or not?"

Baph sighed. "I can, but what do I get in return? Valaac is going to be pissed, and he's going to take it out on me if he can't get to you."

"I made you casserole." I reminded her.

"...Well then, I'm getting seconds." She got herself another bowl, and sat down again, eating thoughtfully. "Look, I'm not trying to be nosy..."

"Yes you are."

"Yes I am... but I think you should just talk this out with him. You two used to be really close when we were growing up. I know you haven't talked for a year but it can't be that bad right?"

I started cleaning up the remains from the summoning ritual. "You're just biased because he's your brother."

"Actually, demon siblings have a tendency to kill each other. Valaac is a rare sort. He only tried to eat me once when we were in the womb together. And even then he didn't try all that hard."

I couldn't help it, I laughed. "I sure he would appreciate the vote of confidence, but I burned all our bridges a year ago."

She finished her casserole and put the bowl to the side, her expression uncomfortable. "I know it's out of character for a demon to say this, but you should forgive him..."

Our gaze met, and she shrank back from the despair I knew was hidden there. "What makes you think he was the one who needed to be forgiven?"

We completed our transaction, signing the contract I had drawn up ahead of time in blood. Baph would block all the portals to my house for a year, and I owed her two more casserole dinners once it was over. I rolled up the paper, forcing a smile.

"Thanks."

"Anything for you, after you castrated that jerk Alax for attacking me in the tenth grade, I've owed you one."

"'Castrated' is a strong term. I merely forcibly showed him the errors of his ways."

"By kicking his balls up around his ears."

We laughed and hugged each other, and with a flash of sulfurous fumes she was gone. I sat down, sighing softly to myself, clutching the contract in my hands. It may not be enough to keep him from finding me, but it might make it difficult enough that he would give up. Closing my eyes, I rested my hands over them, tears seeping silently between my fingers.


	2. Chapter 2

**I should have believed you.**

**I never should have wanted more.**

**I never knew my heart could be so selfish.**

Once my tears had dried, I made my way to the bed, and fell asleep.

"Kara."

I glared at the normal appearing young man sitting across from me.

"Go away."

"What's going on? Why did my sister block off all the portals to your house?"

He had noticed already?

"It's..." I trailed off, not sure how to explain.

"Look, Kara. You told me you wanted some space to 'figure things out' and I've tried to honor that. But that was a freaking year ago!" He leaned forward and grabbed my hand within his own. I winced at the sensation, hating the furious beating of my own heart. "What's going on?"

I pulled my hand back, ignoring his reluctance to release it. "Nothing." I knew he deserved an explanation. "Look, last year, when we... when I..." This was harder than I thought. "I did something stupid."

He reached out again, stopping his hand halfway to my face. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Good." He sighed with relief. "What mistake did you make?"

I flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sure you'll find out. Just know that I'm sorry."

"..."

He was smiling at me, and I forced myself to ignore the emotion I thought I saw in his eyes. It was just my imagination, born from a longing deep within my heart. I had always wanted to see love in his eyes, so much so that I would see it whether it was there or not.

Demons couldn't love. He had told me so himself. 

"Can you go?"

He chuckled. "I'm not really here."

"This is my dream. I would appreciate it if you went elsewhere."

He looked like he wanted to argue, but he held back his words. Standing up, he gave me a smile and simply replied, "I'll go. But we're not done talking about this. "

With that, he disappeared. I let out a groan, covering my face with my hands. I had forgotten he could enter my dreams. Yet another consequence of the blood contract we shared. If I had known the trouble I was inviting myself I wouldn't have ever entered into it with Valaac.

...

I laughed bitterly at myself. Who was I kidding? Even if I had known I would have done the same thing. That's the joy of being in love. Unconsciously rubbing my left shoulder, where his mark was etched into my skin, I closed my eyes and shut myself off from the world of dreams. After all, I had work in the morning, and I needed sleep.

**My heart was breaking.**

**You pasted it back together.**

**But when I tried to give it to you.**

**It wasn't what you wanted.**

"You look like crap!" Alice was smiling, but it didn't hide her concern even as she ordered me a drink from the bar.

"Thanks." My tone was dry.

"No, you know you look amazing, but did you not sleep or something?" She grinned and winked. "Maybe someone else was over last night?"

"You know that's not the case."

"A girl can hope." Alice grinned, handing me my bear as she sipped on her own cocktail. We went to find ourselves a table, walking past a slew of supernatural creatures. Demons, fairies, weres... all of them were here, most of them drunk. She and I were both witches, and allowed into the Magic Cauldron bar on Patron night, although Alice could barely be called a practicing witch. She performed some green magic in her garden, left out sugar water for fairies, fairly minimal stuff. Under normal circumstances she might not be considered powerful enough to mingle with the type that came here.

Not that anyone would be stupid enough to mess with her. It was well known that she was my friend. No one touched my friends.

We snagged a quiet empty corner in the bar, nodding silently at the pack of wolfish young men who winked at us two tables over.

"There's someone who might want to help you out with your 'sleepless nights' problem." Alice muttered in my ear. I cast a spell around our table to prevent us from being overheard, especially with werewolves nearby it never hurt to be too careful.

"He's not serious." I glanced over to the Mal, the alpha of the pack who was looking me over with a narrowed gaze. "He's hoping that buttering me up will give him an advantage when he presents his territorial dispute before the council."

"Ah yes, the almighty supernatural beings council." She rolled her eyes. "How is your job treating you?"

I took a sip from my drink. "It's a pain. If Loretta hadn't been such a brat, she would have been the witch's representative on the council and I could be running my own tarot shop."

"Oh, shut up, you would hate it. You never liked dealing with tourists."

"It might be preferable." I shook my head. "Today we were discussing mapping out ghost haunting rights. Do you know how nitpicking dead people can get? Ugh, I'm going to need a few of these." I took another long swig from my beer.

" You can always come work for me in the publishing business."

"Speaking of which..."

"Oops." Alice looked around for an escape route, but I cut her off.

"Why in Hell did you publish that drunken rant of a teen romance that I sent you?"

Alice shrugged. "It was actually really entertaining."

"You didn't tell me! Doesn't this kind of thing require all sorts of rewrites and paperwork?"

"I didn't want to bother you, so I just took care of it." She was grinning, but I could tell Alice was holding something back.

"You could have at least changed the name. Do you know how much trouble I could get into for publishing a demon's true name?"

"Eh, it wasn't even his full name." She looked me in the eye. "Besides, whatever suffering he gets from this, he deserves all of it and more."

"Alice..."

"No. I helped you pick up the pieces a year ago when he broke your heart. Did I publish this secretly in hopes of getting a little revenge on that jerk? Maybe. You don't open up to many people, and you haven't even looked at a guy since you two stopped talking."

I couldn't help but sigh. "It wasn't really his fault, dear."

"Doesn't matter. I'm your best friend, therefore not only is it his fault but he must be punished."

"And what are you going to do when aforementioned 'punished' demon comes after me after he figures out what we did?"

Alice chuckled. "That's where your far superior witch powers come into play."

"You're crazy, you know that right?"

She clinked glasses with me. "Who isn't?"

We spent the night drinking, and I tried my best to put the book, and him, out of my mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**I feel your presence in my dreams.**

**Waiting just around the corner, hoping I will find you.**

**But each time I look, you've already disappeared.**

I felt nervous the next day at work, unable to shake a sense of unease that hung around me since I had woken up. I felt guilty deep down. It wasn't really Varaac's fault that I had shut him out of my life. That I had made him intensely popular with teenage girls wanting to experiment with demon summoning. He had always been there for me. Supportive, caring, never hesitating to be by my side.

I was the one who wanted something more.

I sighed, stretching in the corner, feeling satisfaction as my spine made a loud cracking noise.

"Rough night?" I turned to the familiar voice. It was Mal, the werewolf alpha. His territory dispute was slotted to be discussed before the council today.

"Not too bad." I answered cautiously. I wasn't sure what to make of him. The werewolf had approached me several more times since I had seen him at the bar with Alice, asking me out, trying to buy me drinks. I had always said no. I couldn't honestly tell at this point if it was to help win my vote on the council or if he was just offended that I wasn't interested.

"Your nights could always be rougher." He winked at me, inching close enough to make me uncomfortable.

Ugh. Definitely an ego thing.

"Thanks for the offer, but no."

His face darkened, a faint yellow glow radiating from his eyes. "Don't be so frigid. You could use a good date." He reached out and grabbed my arm.

Hell. No.

I reached within me, summoning the natural powers around me and weaving them around my hand.

"I will give you five seconds to release my arm, otherwise you will not have a hand to let go with." I spoke through clenched teeth.

"Oh, sweetheart, don't be like that." He chuckled. The stupid wolf had obviously forgotten why they made me the representative for witches on the Council.

It was time to remind him.

"Everything okay here?" An all too familiar voice called out. Surprised, I turned to see Valaac standing there before me.

"This is a private conversation." Mal spoke up, making me want to hit him.

Valaac didn't even glance at him. Instead, he stared directly at me, radiating concern. "Do you need help?" Or just someone to hide the body?"

I laughed. "Just give me a moment." I turned back to the werewolf alpha. "Your five seconds are up."

"Don't make me... ARRRGH!" He trailed off on a pained scream and the hand clutching me incinerated into ash, destroyed into a thousand pieces by my power.

"I warned you."

He snarled with rage and pain, launching towards me with teeth bared. Feeling slightly tired, I sighed.

"Don't be foolish." I waved a hand and he hung in the air, frozen, unable to move a single muscle. He had been interestingly in mid transformation, silver fur replacing human skin, wolf's teeth set in an otherwise normal appearing mouth. His yellow eyes looked desperately around the room, as if asking for help.

Unfortunately for him the other council members ignored his silent plea. Even if they hadn't seen me warn him, anyone stupid enough to take on the second strongest witch was obviously not worth saving. Even the Were Council member, a tall female wolf shifter, simply glanced in my direction before lifting her glass, toasting to show her approval. Smiling, I strolled forward, leaning over to whisper into his ear.

"Next time a girl tells you to back off, back off. Or next time, the punishment will be a lot more ... creative. And permanent." I threw him to the back of the room, not bothering to dissipate the freezing spell. It would naturally disappear after a day or so. Given werewolf regeneration powers, the hand would grow back as well... eventually.

Having settled that matter, I turned back to Valaac, curious. "What brings you here?"

He smiled, and despite not having even broken a sweat in a deadly fight with a werewolf earlier, I felt my heart start to race, but I kept my face expressionless, refusing to show it.

"Meet the new demon representative for the council." He chuckled at my shock, taking advantage of my surprise to close the gap between us.

"How..."

"Satan owes me a favor." He rubbed his forehead, "Plus I agreed to autograph one of your books. Apparently one of his grandkids is a fan."

Figures. You could never count on the devil to be useful.

Varaac studied my expression closely, his face slightly guarded. "This means we'll be seeing each other everyday now."

"I guess so."

"Can't you just tell me why we're not talking?" He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from my face, startling me.

We were both sixteen. I was tired, having left my parents behind arguing for the thousandth time. My father hadn't known what he was getting into when he married my mother. He didn't know about magic, demons, the supernatural, any of it. His rude awakening occurred once their little girl started levitating her toys across the room. Once my powers manifested themselves, the secret was out.

It might have been better if they hadn't loved each other as much as they had. If it had been less they could have just divorced, and he would have had his memory wiped. They didn't want to separate. But they didn't love each other enough to move past such a big mistake, either. Instead, trapped by their own promises and feeling, they turned on each other, and of course on me.

No one ever told me that I was the source of my parent's unhappiness. They didn't have to. It was laced into every word they spoke to me.

I escaped their screams and name calling, finding Varaac at the school we both went to. Sitting on the soccer field, I rested my head against his shoulder, while he idly stroked my hair.

"I'm scared to ever love anyone. What if I end up like them?" I whispered.

His hand paused. "I'm probably not the best person to ask." His smile was bitter. "I'm a demon. We're not able to love. It's not our nature."

We stared at the empty field ahead of us, watching the sunset.

"Do you think they'll leave me?" My parents could barely stand to be in the same room as me as it was.

"Perhaps." Varaac was never one to lie. "But even if they do, I'll be there for you."

"Liar." I chuckled, burying my head into his shoulder.

He held his hand up, biting his fingertip. "I'll form a blood contract with you."

That was enough to shock me out of my daze. "A blood contract... but that's..." forever... permanent, a once in a lifetime deal between two souls. I didn't say those words but they hung in the air between us.

His eyes never wavered. "Only if you want to. Either way I'll never leave you." He shrugged, a slight grin tugging at his features. "This just makes it more official."

I reached over, putting my fingertip between his lips. Wincing slightly as his fangs pierced the skin, I pulled down the collar of his shirt, touching the bloody digit to the skin over his heart. At the same time I felt him grip my shoulder, his blood sinking into my skin.

Our souls were linked.

We could never be separated.

We stared at each other for a few breathless moments, and then both started laughing.

I stepped back from Varaac, leaving his outstretched hand still hanging in the air.

"The meeting will be starting shortly. "

Walking away, I could still feel his gaze following me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Asking the same question over and over**

**Hoping for a different answer**

**My heart says one thing**

**It refuses to hear anything else.**

"A whole week working with Varaac? How's that going?" Alice sipped her fruity cocktail, grimacing with sympathy.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Not that bad, actually. If anything, he's more effective than the last demon council member. At least he does more than just burn obscenities into the floor."

"..." Alice stared at me silently.

"What?"

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"About what?" I tried to act innocently.

"About what happened a year ago."

"No."

"I mean, he seems to be pretty serious about talking it over with you."

"No."

"It might actually be healthy for you?"

"This coming from the woman who PUBLISHED my drunken ravings about him and sold it for profit?"

"Touché. " she shook her head. "I mean, you guys went to school together, right? The one for supernatural beings? You've known each other a long time. "

I was getting tired of this. "Your point?"

"I think you two miss each other." She hugged me. "I just want you to be happy."

I hugged her back. "Thanks."

"Can we join?" Baph, in her human disguise, walked up with Varaac. In this form she was much shorter, about my height, with bright green hair that matched her eyes. Even without the green skin and four arms she drew attention, but ignoring it, she sat down next to me with a grin.

"Never said you could." I muttered, taking a drink.

"Oh shut up you love me." Baph laughed, grabbing my drink and downing it.

"Baph." Varaac scolded her, his eyes showing the amusement that he was trying to hide. "Way to convince them to want us to stay." He placed a beer in front of me. "Here, to replace the one my sister drank."

I picked it up, studying it quietly. It was my favorite brand. Such a little thing, but he still remembered. I started to smile, but the expression died as I reminded myself that it meant nothing to him.

"Thanks." I accepted the drink, ignoring the bright smile he gave me in response.

"Anytime." He sat down across from me, watching me closely. The silence lingered, and I grew more and more uncomfortable at his unwavering stare.

"Hey bro?" Baph clapped him on the shoulder. "We have to work on your 'not acting like a creepy stalker' bit."

Startled he glanced over at her. "What did you say?"

Grinning Baph and Alice looked over at each other. Seeming to come to a silent agreement, they both stood up at the same time.

"We'll go get some food for the table." Alice winked at me, ignoring my glare.

"Yeah... you guys ... talk." Baph was trying to wink, but, unused to using her human disguise, the result was ... disturbing.

"Thanks." Varaac was talking to them, but he never looked away from me.

We were alone. Nervous, I considered running away. Maybe I could say I needed to go to the bathroom?

"Please, Kara... can we talk?" He seemed even more nervous than me.

I settled in with a groan. "Sure. About work?"

"No." he leaned forward. "What happened?"

"..."

"In the past year, I've thought about our last conversation over and over again." He rubbed his forehead, as he spoke, frustrated. "I've thought about every word, every look..."

As he trailed off, I couldn't help it. I was curious. "And?"

"And I still don't get it!" His eyes were desperate. "What did I do?"

My ears were ringing, his form blurring before me. I needed to get out of there before I lost control.

"You didn't do anything." I heard myself say. My voice sounded strange, robotic almost, even to my ears. "Nothing at all."

"Bull."

He reached out and touched my hand, and all I could remember was a time when I thought that meant something.

"They finally did it." I came home, falling on the couch with a groan.

"Did what?" Varaac was cooking dinner. Since I moved out of my parent's house and started working for the council, he had spent more time at my place than in Hell. He was there in the morning once I woke up and only left after I fell asleep. Over the last few months I had grown used to this routine, and even if in my heart I wished it was a more romantic arrangement, I was content at simply seeing him whenever I was home.

Or so I thought.

"My parents. They're splitting up." I stared up at the ceiling, feeling drained. I thought I would have more emotion when this finally happened: anger, relief... something. But all I felt was an empty sensation in my gut. Like somewhere I had missed a step, and couldn't quite catch my footing again.

I guess I hadn't realized how much I hoped me moving out would solve their problems.

"I'm sorry." I felt a hand brush my hair out of my face and looked up to smile at Varaac, enjoying the sensation.

"It's okay. Thanks for being here."

"Dinner will be ready soon."

I sniffed the air, "Lasagna?"

"And garlic bread."

"You sure know how to spoil me."

He chuckled, heading back to the kitchen to check the food.

I stood up, feeling slightly better. "I mean, I guess this is for the best, but something like this can really ruin the dream of a fairytale marriage for a girl."

"Don't worry." He called out behind him, pulling the pasta from the oven. "One day you'll fall in love with someone, they'll love you back, and it won't seem so scary anymore."

"Someone?" My voice cracked on the word, the room spinning around me.

Varaac turned around, sending me a grin that usually made my heart race, but this time only shattered it further. "Yeah, somewhere out there is the perfect person for you."

He started serving dinner, and I had to sit down, thinking things over.

We spent every waking moment together.

Touching, hugging, leaning on one another.

We told each other everything.

We had blood bonded.

But when in all that time, had he ever told me that he loved me?

Had we ever said we were in a relationship?

Oh no.

I thought... I stared at the his back, only remembering now what he told me all those years ago:

Demons can't love. It's not their nature. 

I sat down in front of the plate of lasagna, no longer feeling hungry.

"Varaac?"

"Yeah?"

"I... I think it's best if we spend some time apart."

"Kara."

I looked up into his concerned gaze, the memory fading, feeling tired.

"Varaac. What are you trying to achieve?"

He seemed confused. "What do you mean?"

"You want to be friends again? Want to hang out in all our spare time? Be best buds?" My voice was cutting, a sarcastic tone throughout it, but I couldn't help it.

I was hurting, my heart bleeding out in front of him, and I wanted him to hurt too.

"Can't we?"

"That's the problem." I stood up, grabbing my stuff. "You want to be friends."

"You don't?" He looked desperate, pain shining through his eyes. I leaned over, grabbing his face and holding it still until there were only centimeters between us. His eyes widened with shock, but he didn't pull away.

"Did you read the book I wrote?"

"That silly romance? Just skimmed a few of the descriptions."

I smiled sadly. "Read it until the end. You missed the best part."

"What...?"

"I never wanted to be your friend, Varaac."

"Kara..." it was a whisper. I smiled, and kissed his forehead, ignoring the gasp of breath he pulled in.

"Goodbye."

I walked out, refusing to turn back and look at him anymore.

I needed to move forward.


	5. Chapter 5

**I say I love you a thousand ways**

**But not a single one is heard.**

**Slowly even the loudest voice**

**Can be defeated by silence.**

"I'm such an idiot." I muttered to myself, walking back to my apartment, rubbing my arms to keep myself warm against the chill.

Why did I tell him to read the book?

That was the last thing I should have done. The ending was the worst part. That night, filled with drunken inspiration, I put all my feelings onto paper, speaking them through the stale, cookie cutter heroine.

"Mary Sue trash." I complained, weirdly jealous of my own character. Why did she get to tell her demon crush her feelings? It made me want to blow something up with frustration.

"Hey there, Sweetheart." 

I paused. "I was just thinking I wanted to destroy something. What great timing."

Mal laughed softly, walking out of the shadows. His left hand was still wrapped in a bandage, an obvious stump. Silently, countless werewolves stepped out behind him, their eyes glowing yellow.

He had brought the whole pack?

This wasn't good.

"You guys realize the penalty for attacking a Council member?" I kept my voice calm, while cautiously looking around for an exit. "It makes death seem like a great option."

No one answered, no one even hesitated. Ugh. Stupid packs, with their loyalty to their crappy alpha.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." I pulled all my power within me, stretching it tight like a bow string, one I had figured out the direction I needed to go, I loosened my control.

BAM!

A bright white explosion burst out around me, obliterating the werewolves in my way, and in the space between I ran forward, trying to escape.

"Don't let her escape!" I heard Mal scream and ran even harder. But as I turned a corner, I ran into one of the smaller wolves, who blew a glowing orange dust into my face.

Shit. Fairy dust. The world faded to black around me as the wolf pack caught up.

"Tie her up."

My last thoughts as I fell into unconsciousness were of Varaac.

"Not so tough now, are you?" I woke up to the alpha's grating voice.

"You seriously need to learn how to accept rejection from girls." I muttered, trying to sort out my surroundings. I was in an empty warehouse, tied to a chair. I pulled against my bonds, groaning when I realized they were woven with silver. Made to suppress witches.

I was definitely in trouble.

"Didn't your mother ever warn you about the big bad wolf?" Mal was laughing. Despite my situation, I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Seriously? You've been planning this for a week and that's the best line you've got. That's just insulting." I began rubbing my wrist against the rope behind my back, forcing myself not to wince as the skin started breaking.

"I demand we start over from the beginning. Knock me out, let me wake up, and you try a better line."

"Shut up." He stood up, his eyes glowing yellow. I was close to passing out again. Between the fairy dust and being surrounded by silver, my power was drained to almost nothing. I kept rubbing my wrist against the rope.

"That's better, but not nearly as threatening when coming after that first line. That's why I said you need a do-over." I felt a surge of satisfaction as the skin tore, and I felt the warm wetness of my blood run over my hands.

"I mean, I know you're an idiot, but even you can do better than that, right?"

He stepped, closer, a low growl resounding from his chest. With a grand gesture he backhanded me with his good hand, almost knocking the chair to the ground despite the fact that it was bolted in.

If I hadn't been enforcing my neck with a little magical power, I'd be dead.

Fortunately he hadn't noticed that I had regained some ability. He studied by swelling cheek with satisfaction, and then turned away to walk back to his chair across from me. The ropes around my wrists had already dissolved, I quickly rubbed my bloody wrists onto the bonds on my chest and ankles, before tucking them behind me once more.

"I'm going to kill you." His voice was pleasant, almost conversational.

"I figured. Otherwise this whole trip to the abandoned warehouse would have been pointless." I needed to keep him talking. The ropes were dissolving, but too slowly.

"I'll take my time." He was ignoring me now. "I'll tear you apart bit by bit, enjoying each and every scream of agony."

"I have a better plan." I smiled at him, enjoying the flash of uncertainty across his face. "How about you rot in Hell?"

I reached out my free hands, draining my remaining power to reach out and used it to grasp every muscle fiber, every tendon, ligament, and piece of cartilage that made up his body.

"How did you...?"

And then, with a bloodthirsty grin, I twisted my hands, and pulled his body apart.

Looking at the bloody mess on the ground, I smiled and answered his question.

"Demon mixed blood." I laughed, my chest hurting on the right side where I must have broken a few ribs. "One of the perks of blood bonding. It burns right through the silver."

I stood up, and the floor reached out to meet me.

"Oh crap."

I collapsed on the ground, all of my power drained. I barely had the energy to breathe, much less stand up.

I need to get up. The pack will be here any minute.

Despite this, I couldn't force my limbs to move.

I was going to die, wasn't I?

Well, at least I took that bastard down with me. I felt some satisfaction at that.

"Kara!"

I heard a panicked voice call out.

Oh great, I'm hallucinating now. I smiled as I saw Varaac run towards me, his face twisted with fear and rage.

Now I know I'm dreaming. Varaac is always calm. It's a nice dream to die to, though.

I closed my eyes, and the last sound I heard was his voice.


	6. Chapter 6

**My heart calls out**

**And waits for an answer**

**Even when it knows all that's left is silence.**

I woke up in a hospital bed.

Ow. I silently looked over my body, wondering why everything hurt.

"Six broken ribs, a broken ankle, multiple sprains and bruising, and a collapsed lung." A soft voice answered my unspoken question. I looked up to see Alice sitting beside me, her eyes red. She looked like she hadn't slept in days.

"You look like crap." I smiled, wincing when I tried to laugh.

"You should look in the mirror." She answered back with a tired grin.

"How long?"

"Three days."

Ugh.

"Stupid werewolves."

"Well they won't be a problem anymore." Alice shrugged. "You had taken out over half the pack, and Baph and Varaac absolutely destroyed the rest."

"How...?"

"Varaac was the one who found you. Apparently he can sense your location through your blood bond?" She gave me a look. "Not that I had known you guys had made that sort of commitment."

"It doesn't mean what you think it means."

She smiled. "Maybe it doesn't mean what you think it means." She pointed off to the side, and I saw the brother and sister demons sitting in the chairs at the side of the room, fast asleep. "Baph and I are smart, we've been taking turns. That idiot hasn't left your side since we found you."

"..." I stared at his sleeping form, my heart aching.

"He almost burned down half the city when he sensed you were hurt. I've never seen him so panicked. " Alice reached over and grasped my hand. "I don't know what's between you two... but I do know one thing:"

"What?" I whispered, my eyes not leaving his sleeping form.

"It's more than nothing." She patted me on the shoulder. "Feel better friend." With that she grabbed Baph and pulled her out of the room, ignoring her yelp of protest.

I was frozen in place, my gaze locked onto the remaining other occupant in the room.

His eyes slowly opened, and focused on me.

"Kara." It was whispered, seeming almost like a prayer.

"Umm... Thanks for saving my life." I really wasn't sure what to say.

He sat up, his face still expressionless, staring at me as if I might disappear at any given moment.

"You almost died." His voice was quiet, I had to strain to hear it.

"It's fine."

"It's not fine." Varaac stood up, walking slowly towards the bed. "You were hurt. You were kidnapped. You almost died."

"I'm okay now, that's what's important. So don't worry."

He reached out a hand, hesitating for a split second, before resting it on my cheek. His palm was warm against my skin.

"I almost lost you, Kara." His voice was breaking. I couldn't look up at him, I stared at his chest.

"You can't lose me." I whispered back.

Clearing his throat, he turned back to his chair, sitting down and picking an object off the floor.

"So, in the last three days, while you were unconscious, I had some time on my hands. I did a little reading."

I finally recognized the object in his hands and let out a groan. It was the book I had written.

"Um... I can explain..."

He held up a finger to his lips, silencing me.

"I particularly found the ending interesting." Turning to a bookmarked page, to my utter horror, he began to read:

"Varaac, I know that you are a demon, and that demons by nature can't love. But I can't hold back my feeling anymore. I love you, demon or no. You are the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning, the last thing on my mind when I sleep. If I don't see you I miss you. It's an empty feeling, one that has me searching for your presence. I don't know if you can love, but it doesn't matter. It's too late for me.

I love you Varaac."

"Ugh, please just kill me." I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. I considered using magic to allow the floor to swallow me up. "Can I just say that I was very, very drunk when I wrote that?"

A warm hand reached out and uncovered my face. I looked up into Varaac's eyes, and they were almost glowing with joy. A gentle smile stretched across his face.

"Does that mean you don't love me?" He asked, his voice teasing.

"..." How could I answer that, I shook my head slowly.

"Because like I told you, I went over that last conversation of ours in my head, over and over. I never realized what I said wrong until I read this." He chuckled, sitting next to me on the hospital bed.

"Here's how the conversation should have gone:

You said: 'something like this can really ruin the dream of a fairytale marriage for a girl.'

What I should have said was this: 'Don't worry. You've already met someone who will love you for the rest of your life, and if you love them back, and feel ready, even marriage won't seem so scary anymore.'"

"..." I stared at him in shock.

"If I had said that. What I really felt at the time, by the way, instead of worrying that you and I were only connected by friendship and that you could never fall in love with a demon. If I had said those words instead, what would your response had been?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Did you finish the book?"

"Yes, why?"

"Then you know what my response would be." 

As he chuckled, I pulled his head down, drawing him into a long, gentle kiss.


	7. Chapter 7

The words echo over and over in my heart

Hoping that you will hear them.

If I write these words over and over

Maybe they'll become my new reality.

"So you two are a couple now?" Alice cheered from her seat in the Magic Cauldron, waving her drink around.

I sipped on water, being on an alcohol ban as is mixed with the meds I had to take as I healed up from the attack.

"Yeah, we are." Varaac was grinning, his arm draped casually around my shoulders. I found that since we had our discussion, his habit of casual contact had returned with a vengeance. Not that I minded. I leaned my head against his shoulder with a smile.

"So can I dismantle the blocks on the portals to your house?" Baph rolled her eyes as she looked at the two of us. "You both are way too dramatic, by the way."

"Please." I smiled up at the demon at my side. "I don't think you have to block them anymore."

"You still owe me two casserole dinners."

"Deal."

"Guys, guys, you still haven't acknowledged the person who you owe your everlasting gratitude to for your current state of bliss." Alice pretended to be angry, putting her hands on her hips.

"What do you mean...?"

"Excuse us." A quiet voice interrupted our conversation. I turned to face the newcomers. Two young fairy girls, studying the two of us with excited gazes.

"Can I help you?" I asked, confused.

They both held up a book. "Can you autograph this book for us?"

"Umm, sure." I signed the cover of both, feeling embarrassed. "Glad you liked it."

"Can I ask you something?" The smaller of the two timidly stepped forward.

"Go for it?"

"Is it true that this story is based on your real life romance with a demon?" Her eyes were wide with curiosity.

Varaac and I looked at each other and laughed.

"No comment." I winked at the girls, sending them on their way. "Okay Alice, I see what you mean."

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

"Thank you for publishing my drunken ravings, and saving me from throwing away the love of my life."

"What are friends for?"

We all laughed at that, and as I leaned into Varaac arms and felt his warmth around me, I couldn't help but look forward to whatever would happened next.

"Is there going to be a sequel?" an amused voice whispered in my ear.

I smiled. "Nope, it's going to be a lifelong series."

You told me from the start you couldn't love

But still my heart yearned for some response.

And now that my hand reached out and grasped your own

I'll never let you go.


End file.
